Bone Valley – Season 3, Episode 6: "Something Rotten"

Date: October 15, 2025
Host: Maggie Freleng
Podcast: Bone Valley (Lava for Good Podcasts)

Episode Overview

In "Something Rotten," Maggie Freleng delves deep into the systemic failures and corruption that tainted the investigation into the murder of Jessica Curran in Graves County, Kentucky. The episode explores how rumors, police misconduct, and unreliable witnesses led to the wrongful convictions of Quincy Cross, Tamara Caldwell, and Jeff Burton. Freleng scrutinizes the role of key figures, including journalist Tom Mangold and amateur investigator Susan Galbraith, while painting a devastating picture of what happens when truth gets lost amid incompetence and the desperation for closure. The episode is a sobering look at the personal costs of injustice, revealing shattered families and lingering questions after decades of searching for answers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Challenging Old Narratives & Journalistic Responsibility

• Maggie contacts veteran journalist Tom Mangold (02:53–04:08) regarding his reporting on Quincy Cross’s conviction and points out how his articles ignored critical recantations and shifting narratives from the prosecution's key witness, Victoria Caldwell.
  • Quote:

    "Any publication or broadcast in the United States which infers I may have behaved unprofessionally ... will of course, be instantly sued for both libel ... Now, please don’t pester me any further. All you batty conspiracy theorists are the same." —Tom Mangold (04:05)

• Discussion of Mangold's mentorship of Susan Galbraith who became the case’s citizen-sleuth, eventually playing a significant role in the prosecution’s theory and witness discovery (04:22–05:45).
  • Quote:

    "We used my room at the somewhat humble Mayfield Super 8 Motel as an office ... She became my trainee cub reporter." —Tom Mangold (04:51)

2. The Fallout of Flawed Investigations

• Tom Mangold’s pursuit of a movie deal about the case and the "odd couple" story with Susan Galbraith illustrates media fascination with true crime, regardless of accuracy, and the long-term impact on communities (05:45–06:19).
• Freleng tackles the lasting effects of erroneous reporting and “truth-making” by both the prosecution and the press, emphasizing that key witness testimonies have since been recanted (06:19–07:44).
  • Reflective Questions:

    "Shouldn't it take more than the word of a few girls or the theories of an amateur sleuth for a journalist to make such ruinous accusations against everyday citizens? ... Who do we hold accountable when their whole case falls apart?" —Maggie Freleng (06:53)

3. Human Cost: Stories of the Convicted

• Emotional toll on Jeff Burton:
  • Quote:

    "...this whole thing is my whole life's been like an out of body experience I can't even explain. Like an emotional fucking wreck that I have not been able to overcome. My trust in people is... like, low now." (07:54)

• Tamara Caldwell and Quincy Cross’s stories are threaded throughout, showing how wrongful convictions tear apart families, aspirations, and a sense of safety.

4. Police Corruption & Public Distrust

• Freleng returns to the year 2000 to examine how law enforcement disorder in Mayfield, Kentucky set the case on a path toward failure (12:04–16:11).
• Tim Fortner’s failed investigation and fear:
  • Direct testimony from Jessica’s father about Detective Fortner’s admission of incompetence and being "set up to fail," and his fear of someone (possibly police leadership) (13:00–13:48).
• Assistant Chief Ronnie Lear’s pervasive influence:
  • Reputed as "crooked," his name recurs in interviews, police files, and community rumors (15:52–16:11).
    • Quote:

      "Let me tell you something. These police around here are so corrupt, it's not even funny." —Private Investigator Noble Faulkner (15:52)

  • Allegations against Lear include theft from the evidence room, misuse of city funds, sexual harassment, and concealed evidence (20:01–22:06).
  • After official investigations, Lear evades lasting legal consequence, moves to Alabama, but his conduct leaves irreversible stains on the case (22:25–23:23).

5. Rumors vs. Reality: The Power of Gossip

• Maggie and her team unravel how hearsay filled the vacuum left by police failure, leading to widespread suspicion—including persistent rumors about Ronnie Lear’s involvement (24:09–25:19; 26:54–27:36).
  • Quote:

    "Gossip is the gospel in the South, baby girl." —Dara Wolman (27:20)

• Even the victim’s father, Joe Curran, grapples with doubt, saying,

  "Most people that I talk to that's around here feel like he is, but I don't know." (27:44)

6. The Tangled Pursuit of Closure

• Closure as a myth:
  • Quote:

    "You survive it. You never get over it. Don't let nobody ever tell you you get closure because you're going to always miss a person like that the rest of your life." —Joe Curran (29:38)

7. New Hope: Fresh Evidence and Legal Developments

• Recap of new legal maneuvers:
  • Lawyer turnover (Miranda Hellman leaves the Kentucky Innocence Project), leaving Quincy's fight for freedom in flux (33:07–33:49).
  • Results from ink testing on a crucial diary suggest key evidence was fabricated post-crime (35:41–35:59).
  • DNA testing of forensic samples excludes all three convicted people (36:35–37:15).
    • Quote:

      “There is no evidence, there is no physical evidence that put Quincy nowhere near this girl.” —Jeff Burton (37:08)

  • Quincy Cross, maintaining his innocence, expresses relief as long-obscured truths come to light (37:39).

8. Lingering Effects on the Wrongfully Convicted

• Tamara and Jeff, now free but with records, struggle to regain normalcy—limited work opportunities, broken relationships, and enduring trauma (40:18–43:49).
  • Tamara:

    "Even though you had five and a half years of your life taken away, you still think you're lucky?"
    "Yep. Yep. Sure do. I'm here for a reason. God ain't through with me yet." (43:49)

• Quincy’s family, especially his father David, clings to hope but fears running out of time (44:12–44:48).
  • Quote:

    "The only fear I got, that I won’t live to see Quincy walk out of prison. That's my only fear in life." —David Cross (44:48)

• Recollections of family life and memories underscore what’s been lost and what loved ones continue to hold onto (45:09–47:13).

9. The Lasting Impact of Tainted Investigations

• Freleng closes by underscoring how corruption and incompetence didn’t just target these three individuals, but corroded the entire community’s faith in justice:
  • Quote:

    "But what I do know is that the incompetence and corruption from Ronnie Lear and his police department tainted the investigation into Jessica's death from the start ... prosecutors under pressure to close an eight year old case pushed to get a conviction at all costs, ignoring the fact that the truth may actually be impossible to find." (28:33–29:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Tom Mangold’s defensive response: "All you batty conspiracy theorists are the same." (04:08)
• Jeff Burton on incarceration: "Just being away from the people that you love." (08:16)
• On police corruption: "There's all kinds of stories going around at the time and just nothing good. Nothing good for the Mayfield Police Department." —Michael Grice (18:12)
• Dara Wolman: "Gossip is the gospel in the South, baby girl." (27:20)
• Joe Curran's pain: "There is no such thing as closure." (29:38)
• On evidence: "There is no evidence, there is no physical evidence that put Quincy nowhere near this girl." —Jeff Burton (37:08)
• Quincy Cross: "I'm glad that the truth is coming now, you know what I'm saying? That does me some good. My heart to know that, you know, a lot of things that they were saying was just lies put in front of a jury." (37:39)
• Tamara Caldwell’s resilience: "Yep. Sure do. I'm here for a reason. God ain't through with me yet." (43:49)
• David Cross’s fear: "The only fear I got, that I won’t live to see Quincy walk out of prison." (44:48)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Mangold confrontation and his response: 02:53–04:08
• Tom and Susan’s collaboration and media angle: 04:22–05:45
• Police incompetence & Fortner's fears: 12:04–13:48
• Ronnie Lear allegations detailed: 20:01–23:23
• Town rumors and community suspicion: 16:11–18:49; 24:09–25:19
• Testing of new evidence (diary ink, DNA): 35:41–37:15
• Personal accounts and hope: 40:18–47:13

Tone and Language

Throughout the episode, Maggie Freleng’s tone is relentless yet measured, balancing investigative rigor with empathy for those harmed. The language is candid, at times raw, especially when retelling the personal testimonies of the convicted and their families. There's a persistent drive to strip away myth and rumor in pursuit of facts, even when those facts remain elusive or incomplete.

Final Thoughts

"Something Rotten" exposes not just a botched case, but an entire system willing to sacrifice truth—and human lives—on the altar of expediency. Maggie Freleng reminds listeners that behind headlines and verdicts are shattered families, irreparably harmed by the failures of those entrusted with justice. The episode asks: In a community where institutional rot runs deep, who will stand guard over the truth?